Bidean nam Bian - Highland, Scotland.
Posted by: 
creg-ny-baa
N 56° 38.567 W 005° 01.760
30V E 375553 N 6279464
Summit of the highest mountain in the Glen Coe area in the Highlands of Scotland.
Waymark Code: WM13EG1
Location: Northern Scotland, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/23/2020
Views: 2
Bidean nam Bian, the pinnacle of the hills, is the highest peak in the Glen Coe area in the western highlands of Scotland. The highest point of the old county of Argyll lies on the south side of the famous glen and is 1150 metres, 3766 feet high.
THe summit is not visible from the A82 road in the glen, it being hidden from view by the rocky buttresses of the Three Sisters, only the peak of Stob Coire nan Lochan, which lies to the south is visible and is usually mistaken for the summit of the Bidean.
The summit is a pointed pile of stones and is the high point of a ridge that lies between the neighbouring peaks of Stob Coire nam Beith and Stob Coire Sgreamhach, with a connecting ridge to Stob Coire nan Lochan to the north. The southern flank falls steeply to the remote Gleann Fhaolain.
STEEPNESS: A serious undertaking from the variety of routes to the north from the glen, especially higher up.
TERRAIN: Well made paths lower down, but rocks and scree higher up.
ACCESSIBILITY: The summit is just under three miles from the variety of large lay-bys on the A82, with paths constructed by the National Trust for Scotland gaining access up into the corries.
NAVIGATION: The two corries between the Three Sisters offer the usual route to the mountain, the most easterly runs up Coire Gabhail, also known as the Lost Valley, and is used for the route that also takes in Stob Coire Sgreamhach, which was promoted to Munro status in 1990. From the Lost Valley the route heads up a steep scree filled slope to the col between the two mountains. Another path heads westwards from the head of the valley up the col with Stob Coire nan Lochan. The adjoining corrie between the central and westerly sister is called Coire nan Lochan and is accessed via a path, before bearing westwards up to the ridge and heading over the rocky summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan and then using the connecting ridge to the summit. The most westerly route is slightly shorter and crosses over the summit of Stob Coire nam Beith. All routes have paths lower down, but become less faint higher up amongst the rocky terrain.
DANGER: Care needed on the rockier sections, especially where the paths become indistinct in mist. Some handwork may be required on steeper sections.